Child's Play
by The Dark Knight's Revenge
Summary: Percy has to deal with the fact that neither of his children are truly his children and things will go awry as the children learn of their true heritage, on the daughter of Chauvelin, the other a son of his aide-de-camp. The Pimpernel may arise again...
1. Chapter 1

"Papa?" A small voice came from the slightly ajar door of Percy Blakeney's study. Percy set down his quill pen and smiled at the tiny girl peering at him.

"Come here darling" He said tenderly, holding his arms out to receive his daughter.

Four years old and as delicate as a porcelain doll, Marie Blakeney was the spitting image of her mother. Long brown curls tumbled down her back, complementing her eyes. Her beautiful, unusual eyes. Bright golden colored, nowhere near the hue of either his or Marguerite's eyes.

Percy pulled the little girl on his lap closer to his chest, frowning over her head. It was obvious to anyone who cared that Marie wasn't his daughter. Marguerite's tryst with Chauvelin had produced more than the citizen's downfall.

"Father?" Another child's voice came from the door. Percy smiled. His adopted son, Lucian Blakeney. Technically, the boy was his deceased brother's son, but Percy couldn't love him any more than if he were his own.

Percy held out his other arm, and Lucian came to him. The children were close to the same age, and more in tune than twins. Wherever Marie went, Lucian followed.

Percy sometimes worried, as father's duty, if his children could harbor possible romantic feelings towards each other. Lucian was as devoted to his sister as any lover could ever be, but there was a chance they would grow out of it.

Indeed, at ages four and five, his children were different than most. Marie worshipped her father, unaware of her true lineage. Lucian was more devoted to Marguerite. Lucian followed his studies religiously, Marie loved to dance.

"I love you, Papa" Marie murmured sleepily. It had become a ritual for the children to come to their father before bed. One last hug and a kiss seemed the least Percy could do for his children.

"I love you too, Father" Luc said, leaning his head of his father's shoulder.

"I love you both very much" Percy murmured. It was true. Though neither of his children were technically his seed, the children had stolen his heart.

The clock chimed nine, and Marie yawned right on cue. Percy smiled and stood, carrying Marie in one hand, and taking Lucian's hand in his other. Baronet Blakeney led his children to their rooms, leaving Lucian at the door to his chamber and then going to tuck Marie in.

"Papa?" Marie asked sleepily.

"Yes?" Percy replied, unable to resist his angellic daughter.

"Will you put in a word with Mama about dance school?" Marie asked. Percy leaned down to kiss his daughter's forehead.

"We shall see"

With that, Marie sighed and rolled over, already asleep. Percy left his daughter's room and went across the hall to tuck in his son. Lucian was sitting up in bed, not as tired as his sister.

"Father?" He asked, worrying the edge of his blanket in between long fingers. Percy smiled. It was most like Marguerite's children to have their more serious requests at bedtime.

"Why don't I look like you or Mother?" The boy asked, and Percy could see tears forming in the little boy's golden eyes. Percy sat next to his son, patting the five-year old on the shoulder. How remarkably perceptive he was for such a tender age.

"I will tell you when you are older" Percy said after a moment. "Can you live with that, son?" Lucian thought, then nodded, scooting under his blankets. Percy kissed his son on the head, then exited the boy's room, pausing a moment in the hall.

Lucian was only five years of age and already wanted to know who his father was. He would surely tell Marie, and then she too would come asking about her heritage. Couldn't children stay children?

Percy sighed, what a puzzle his life was. He ran his hand through his blonde hair as he set off for the room he and Marguerite shared. He entered softly, but Marguerite still heard him. She sat at her vanity, brushing the curls that were so like Marie's.

Percy came up behind his wife, blue eyes fixing on her brown ones in the mirror. He played with the end of one of her curls, smiling softly as he did so.

"Your mind is elsewhere, Percy. Tell me what troubles you" Marguerite said quietly, clasping Percy's hand on her shoulder. Percy sighed yet again.

"Lucian asked me why he looks nothing like us, and Marie has been begging to go to that french dance school" He said after a moment, focusing on playing with Marguerite's hair. "It seems like children don't want to stay children for long..."

Marguerite stayed silent, looking at her husband in the mirror. Even though Percy couldn't be a more loving or responsible father, there was something in his eyes that he tried to keep closely veiled.

Marguerite knew that not having a real child of his own hurt Percy... All the secrets that were buried on the Pimpenel's head were slowly becoming heavier. She could see it in the tired look of Percy's physique. When he wasn't acting like a fop to protect them, Percy looked utterly exhausted.

"Lucian was bound to figure it out someday, with his father being whom he was..." Marguerite let the statement hang in the air.

"My brother was a complicated man. My wish is that he could have chosen the right side. I can only hope that I will do good by his son" Percy said, still avoiding Marguerite's gaze. The frenchwoman sensed there was something that Percy wasn't ready to share with her yet.

The two stayed silent for a moment more, the Marguerite swiveled on her stool, pulling Percy's face down to hers for a kiss.

"I know my infidelity hurt you Percy, but I try every day to make up for my faults" A small smile crept onto Percy's lips.

"My Pimpernel" He teased, tracing her cheek with a long finger. Marguerite smiled at his long-used nickname for her.

"We cannot keep the truth from them forever, but let us gather our forces when we do" Marguerite said with finality. Percy nodded in agreement, kissing his wife once more.

"If only children would stay children"


	2. Chapter 2

"HAH! I win, father. Now you have to take me with you to France the next time you go" A sixteen year old Lucien Blakeney said, his chest heaving as he looked down the blade of his saber to his father, who was pinned on the grassy lawn outside Blakeney manor.

"I let you win" Percy grumbled good-naturedly, motioning for Lucien to remove the sword from his neck. His son complied, holding out a hand for his father.

In the decade that had passed, Lucian had grown. He no longer resembled the sweet child of five that Percy tucked in all those years ago. After his sister left for France's dance school, the boy had closed off from his parents. Now, he was a handsome young man.

Percy frowned as his son walked away from their sparring session. Lucian had cried for a week straight when his beloved sister had skipped off for France. Now it seemed at every turn the boy was trying to find a way across the channel.

He remembered Marguerite coming to him one night, ashen faced. She urged him never to let Lucian go to France. Percy had followed her to Lucien's chamber, looking on in horror as Marguerite revealed the drawing she had accidentally found.

Looking at him smugly even from beyond the grave, Citizen Chauvelin's face glared up from the paper. An accurate likeness penned and signed by his own son meant one thing. Lucien Blakeney knew something he shouldn't. Unfortunately, when it came to acting and hiding things, Lucien was as good as, if not better than his father.

Percy ran a hand over his face. Things were headed for a storm, that much was for sure.

As he came in the door of the Blakeney mansion, Percy felt a smile creep onto his face in spite of himself. There in the foyer were his wife and son, Lucian swinging his mother around in a circle as if she weighed nothing. Lucian shook his blonde locks out of his eyes as he set his mother down, kissing her on each cheek.

It was remarkable that Lucien looked so much like himself and Marguerite, Percy thought as he watched the scene. Though not terribly handsome, Lucien's father had been different. Fortunately, the young man remained blissfully ignorant. Or so Percy hoped.

* * *

"Papa! Mama!" Came the cry from the foyer a week later. Percy and Marguerite rushed down the grand staircase.

"Mama!" Came Marie's cry again as she dropped her trunk and gracefully ran to her parents, embracing her mother. Marguerite was already crying.

"Papa" Marie said, disentangling herself from her mother and coming to kiss and hug her father. Percy's breath left him when he barely recognized the young woman hugging him.

When they pulled apart, Percy studied his daughter. Her likeness to Chauvalin was unmistakable. Her complexion had reversed; skin grown paler, hair darkened, and eyes lightened into a lethal shade of gold.

"Welcome home darling" Percy said affectionately. "Come, we'll find your brother" He let Marie fall back to take her mother's arm, instantly deep in conversation about whether her new dress was appropriate.

"But Mama!" Marie laughed, smoothing out the shorter skirt similar to her dancing dress. "It's the latest fashion, and I have to represent my trade!"

"Marie, your hair..." Marguerite fussed, pulling at Marie's loose curls. Percy laughed as they argued.

"Lucien?" He inquired at his son's study door. No answer, the boy must be in the fencing hall. That seemed to be where his boy spent most of his time.

"Forgive me, ladies. I must go find Lucien. Please retire to the sitting room while I search" He kissed his wife and daughter on the cheek, then took his leave, striding purposefully down the hall to the fencing hall.

Percy walked in the room just in time to duck as a foil went sailing into the door.

"You'll have to try harder than that!" He heard Lucien yel las he stopped to retrieve the weapon. "Behold, Pimpernel. I bring your ruin! Today you answer to Armand Chauvelin!"

The foil clattered to the floor as Percy stared open mouthed at his son. Lucien looked up at the noise, and for a moment, Percy saw Chauvelin himself. But no, that couldn't be possible. Chauvelin never had children. The vision faded, and Percy saw his cheerful son walking towards him.

"Sorry about that father" Lucien said, picking up the foil and returning it to a rack on the wall.

"Er- well, no harm done, Lucien" Percy replied, fidgeting nervously for a moment under his son's golden gaze. Suddenly, he remembered why he had come to the room in the first place.

"There's someone here to see you" Percy said, clearing his throat then turning to leave.

"Wait, father" Lucien said, still staring with those unnerving eyes so similar to his sister's.

"Come to the sitting room after you've cleaned up" Percy said without turning, afraid to see the look in his son's eyes.

"Yes, father"

* * *

Ten minutes later, Lucien swept into the sitting room, eyes instantly alighting on the girl perched next to Marguerite.

"Marie!" He cried.

"Lucien" Marie replied, running gracefully to her brother and hugging him tightly. Lucien ran his fingers through his sister's hair as they held close, a single tear slipping down his cheek to be lost in his sister's shoulder.

Marie was the one to break their embrace, and it was obvious Lucien could barely let go.

"Would you care to take a walk with me and tell of all your glorious adventures?" Lucien said smoothly, taking his sister's arm and gliding out the door before she could protest. Percy rose to stop them, then thought better of it.

"Percy?" Marguerite's voice was worried. For a moment, Percy warred with himself whether he should tell his wife what he had witnessed. He thought better of it, deciding to keep his illusions to himself.

"Nothing, dearest" Percy said, putting on his best smile and taking his wife's hands.


End file.
